Topic: July 2010 Group Tests - Tikka, Bhajis or Naans?

[chriswg]

What would people most like to see us review next month? We should have time to get all three done over the next three months.

Please post your favourites of each and a comment of which you'd like to see first. If you have your own recipe that isn't posted yet please feel free to post it in the relevant section and link to it from this thread.

We want this open to EVERYONE! If you haven't posted before but you have a good recipe, now is the time to upload it and it will get a fair review. Dont be shy, we want to try old favourites and new ideas.

I have a new bhaji recipe that I've been working on which I'll post before we do the bhaji reviews. This could be a hotly contested section with good recipes from Dip and IG!

[joshallen2k]

My vote would be for Tikka.

[Domi]

Tikka or bhajis...it's too hot for me to think of naans lol

[canicant]

1. Tikka
2. Naan
3. Bhaji
I'm all for proportional representation

Rob.

[chriswg]

So Tikka seems most popular and a sensible choice for summer barbeques. The following 5 recipes have been suggested. Let me know if anyone has any thoughts on any of these.

Kushi - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4496.0

Blade - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=874.0

Lasan (presumably we do this with chicken breast to make it tikka rather than tandoori) - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4182.0

Dipuraja - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4432.0

CA - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1555.0

CA's looks similar and every bit as tough as Pat Chapmans. Are we okay to substitute the tandoori masala mix for tandoori masala paste or powder?

[solarsplace]

Hi Chris

CA's Tikka recipe is a personal favorite, having made it a lot, I personally find it really is very fast to make.  I don't think you will be doing it justice by substituting with a different masala powder or paste. That would almost not be the same recipe?

Just my humble opinion.

cheers

[chriswg]

Do you include the ginger powder and mango powder in yours? I don't think I've ever seen either for sale.

I agree it's probably worth doing it properly. It would be very expensive to make for someone with no spices in the cupboard. I have most of the bits though. as with the Kebab test it will be interesting to see if the extra work is worth the effort. I'm a huge fan of Dipurajas recipe and it's really easy to make.

[solarsplace]

Hi

Yes, I do use those ingredients as I always make it exactly to spec. However, I cannot confirm how critical those ingredients are to the end result because I never tried it without them.

This place is quite good for spices, and if you do a big order including a massive bag of rice every 3 months or so, then you can usually get the free delivery:

http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Natco-Mango-Powder-Amchoor.html#aISG060

http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-TRS-Ginger-Powder.html#aISG014_2dp

But as you say, getting stock of a whole bunch of spices you don't usually use can be expensive. But this is a hobby - and a lot cheaper than most!

[Cory Ander]

Let me know if anyone has any thoughts on any of these

Yes, I'd like to know:

a)  why you have constrained the test to only 5 recipes (there are over 15 tikka/tandoori recipes that I've counted in this recipe section)?

b)  how you selected the 5 (of the 15 or more available recipes)?

I think that the following should also be tested for it to be a fair test of available recipes (plus the others I've not mentioned):

- Panpot's (allegedly from a true BIR)
- Infindforu's (allegedly from a true BIR)
- 976bar's
- Layne's (a trained chef, as I understand it?)
- Pete's/Haldi's (also from a BIR chef)
- Tempest's

Are we okay to substitute the tandoori masala mix for tandoori masala paste or powder?

Absolutely not since you are fundamentally changing the recipe! 

All testers should anyway state ANY AND ALL deviations (and assumptions) from the specified recipes.  I'd be gobsmacked if many would follow them absolutely to the letter 

It would be very expensive to make for someone with no spices in the cupboard

I hope this is not your (and other's) definition of "cheapness" Chris?   

It is far less expensive than buying a jar of paste that you don't happen to have on the shelf!  The "cost" should simply be the cost of the ingredients, once purchased and available.

[chriswg]

Hi CA

To answer your questions, we aren't constrained to 5 recipes, but it's too much to ask everyone to group test 15. It would be too time consuming and too expensive. We are trying to pick the highest regarded ones but it's up to anyone here to recommend any that they think are good. Picking 5 of the top ones to test is a good staring point.

The point of these posts before the tests is for people like yourself to put your thoughts forwards. If you think one of the 6 you mentioned is different or good enough to be worth testing then we'll try to include it.

Thanks for the clarification on the tandoori massala. The only reason I asked is because in your kebab recipe you mentioned this could be substituted for any tandoori massala. This sparked a lot of debate amongst the judges. We'll make sure for the tikka that is followed to the letter.

The 'Cheapness' category is just about how much each costs to make, but the more ingredients, the higher the costs. If we are assuming the spices are perishable and the whole bags won't be used then a recipe like yours will include a lot of wastage. Compare this to buying 3 jars of paste all of which will be used. The overall cost per chicken breast comes out a lot less. I agree it is open to interpretation but we try to be as fair as possible to everyone.

I know you wont agree which is why I PM'd you to ask you to join the judging panel so we could have your input during the testing process. The offer still stands if you have some good ideas to improve the process.